The Prix de Rome is the oldest and most generous award for young artists and architects (up to 35 years) in the Netherlands. The prize was established in 1808 by King Louis Napoleon.

This new work is presented in an exhibition at SMART Project Space and evaluated by an international jury. From the four shortlist nominees the jury choses the winner of the first price (€45,000,-), the runner-up (€20,000,-) and artists who get the two basic prices (€10,000,- each). The winner of Prix de Rome in 2011 will be announced on June 9 2011.

Also alumna Gwenneth Boelens is selected for the longlist of Prix de Rome 2011. She studied Photography from 1999-2003 at the KABK.The work of Gwenneth Boelens revolves around the analysis of the gaze. That which can be perceived or remembered, is detached from its common context and “translated” into spatial, photographic and filmic installations. Her work often focuses on the connection between logic and subjectivity, observation and inner thought processes. Recently Boelens has worked from her fascination for negatives, using one of the first photographic techniques.